What Type Of Cooling Should I Buy?

The CPU, graphics processor, motherboard chipset, memory, and all the other various chips inside the system generate heat. Our cooling packages range from the most basic entry level fan heatsink to a high powered complete cooling package for heavy gaming or power use. Better cooling helps with the speed and stability of your parts as well as the life span of al the internal components of the system.

Why Is Cooling ImportantKeeping your system operating at a lower temperature helps with data integrity, system stability and longevity. Todays systems are also designed to self regulate fan speed so having a properly arranged set of cooling fans also helps to keep noise levels at a minimum.

All of the cooling solutions we offer draw the heat away from a chip and spread it out over a large surface area so that fan blown air can push this heat away.

Liquid coolers pump liquid through a conductive plate then dissipate the heat through a radiator.

High end air coolers have larger, quieter, more durable fans and a modular assembly where a copper base is attached to a series of copper heat-pipes that weave through thin aluminum or copper fins.

The next highest level of heat-sink is made from single blocks of high grade aluminum where delicate fins are machined from the solid block to create the most possible surface area.

The least expensive heat-sinks use a lower grade of aluminum that is molded into a finned shape.

These designs use less material and provide less surface area for the fans to dissipate the heat. These lower cost "basic" fans often need to push dramatically more air to achieve the same level of cooling.

In all systems we recommend some type of case fans to aid in airflow inside the computer. Though some low cost systems are built with only a CPU fan / heat-sink, we recommend a package of CPU fan heatsink with system fans to move air through the case. We offer packages of fans that range in size from 80mm to 120mm in diameter.

Generally larger case fans operate at a lower RPM and are quieter and provide the potential for higher levels of air flow when needed. Our upgraded cooling packages also include liquid thermal compounds of increasing levels of performance. These very special compounds are placed in-between the base of the heat-sink and the top of the CPU to provide a dramatic improvement in thermal conductivity.

The basic fan heat-sinks use the convenient solution called a thermal pad. These gummy pads can be applied before shipment and melt when heated to provide thermal conductivity. Over time the effectiveness of these pads is reduced as they tend to migrate away from the contact patch as they go from liquid to solid when heated and cooled.